Lion's Life
by collinphillips
Summary: After the Gem's last mission, something odd has been happening with Lion. Only a special someone can help Steven with what happens next
1. Chapter 1

SU fanfic:

The three headed Onyx bull, charged, but Garnet intercepted it just in time. She took it by the horns and rammed it's head to the ground. Meanwhile, Pearl and Amethyst were still going for the Chimera. "Steven! you have to get to the shard, now while the guardians are distracted" Pearl instructed.

"You got it, Pearl" Steven ran towards the crystal shard on top of the altar, it was moments from its grasp until something slithery coiled at his legs and flung him away from the altar. Steven landed with an "hmph!" He looked up and saw a massive 9 headed hydra, larger than any of the othe creatures at the temple. "Oh no, there's three of them!"

"yeah, we can all count, Pearl!" retorted Amethyst.

"Steven!" Garnet tried to rush to his aid, but the bull fought back.

The nine heads aimed and lunged at helpless Steven on the floor, but a familiar dimensional rift opened up and from it came forth Lion. He picked up Steven with his jaws just in time to evade the attack.

"Thanks! Buddy" said Steven, "now let's go get that shard". Lion sprang, avoiding the many Hydra heads that came after them. They zipped past the altar, and Steven quickly snatched the Shard. "Yes! We did it!" but their victory was short lived as the temple began to crumble. "Uh oh"

At the same time, the shard's guardians also fell apart. "We have to get out of here now!" Garnet yelled to the other two Gems.

A pillar collapsed and crushed the warp pad. "Oh no!, how are we gonna get out of here now?" Pearl, panicked. As if in response, Steven and Lion landed in front of them, "uh guys, this place is falling apart, like that time I tried to patch up our ceiling with my earwax. "Quick! everyone get on" ordered Garnet.

Garnet and Amethyst clung to its back with Steven, but Pearl was only able to grab on to its rear end. "Oh brother" she exclaimed.

Quickly Lion ran and opened up a portal to safety. As soon as they got through, they landed safe and sound on the shores of Beach City. Amethyst was the first one to get off, "Alright! we almost died this time!"

"Hey has anyone seen Pearl?" asked Steven.

Lion stood up, and there she was, having been freed from being sat on. She straightened herself up, only to be licked by Lion. "Uh, thanks for saving us back there" she said half disgustedly.

"YEAH! Way to go, Lion! See? I told you it was a good idea to have him around"

Not long after, Lion collapsed on the sand. Steven ran to him, "Lion! oh no are you okay?!"

Lion gave a very weak purr and shut its eyes. "Whoa, is he alright?" asked Amethyst.

"I don't know, he was barely hurt, not even by that snake thingy" his eyes had started to become watery. Pearl intervened, hang on, I'll see what's going on.

She leaned in on Lion's immobile body, examining it and checking for its vital signs. "Look, he's been through a lot today", she replied "maybe he's just all tired out"

"I'll go to town and get her the treats he likes, that'll make him feel better" Steven rushed off.

Garnet placed her hands on Pearl's shoulders. "You're gonna have to tell him sometime"

"I know" she said, full of sadness.


	2. Chapter 2

SU fanfic

"Lion! I'm back!" called Steven, "I didn't know what would make you feel better the most, so I just got you...uh... Everything" he said as he unloaded all of the food he got from town, Fish Stew's Pizza, Big Donut's donuts, and Frybo's and everything else Steven could get his hands on. He dumped everything in front of Lion, hoping he'd eat his way back into good health. But, Lion only managed to weakly open his eyes to look at Steven for a brief moment before returning to his original state. "Hmmm" Steven pondered, "Pearl, did say you might need some time to recover" He tore up the sack where he placed the food and made it into a makeshift blanket, using it cover up Lion. He then proceeded to engage the non feral beast with a warm loving hug, "I'll come back for you everyday to see if your alright, take care, buddy."

Everyday, he fulfilled his promise, he bought a heap of food from town and dumped in the same spot, since Lion barely moved an inch. Pearl, Garnet and, Amethyst concernedly watched day by day as the food pile grew even higher, attracting seagulls from every corner of the island. "Shoo! You pesky birds! These stuff aren't for you" yelled Steven.

Even, a wild beach front storm could not deter Steven's resolve. "Steven! get out of there!" called the Gems, "this storm is very strong" Pearl tried to make her voice heard as they struggled to get through the billowing winds. "No! Im not leaving Lion!" He tugged desperately on the still lying creature. "Come on, We have to go now, Please!" Steven's tears began to come forth like a fountain as he pleaded with his friend. The wind blew even harsher now, it even began to rip apart the board walk. Luckily, Garnet got through and picked Steven up. "Garnet! please no, we cant leave Lion"

"I'm sorry Steven, Pearl tried to keep it from you, but Lion's not gonna make it, with or without this storm"

Steven couldn't speak, he only looked up at Garnet, devastated.

Once the storm cleared, Steven ran outside. He spat on his hands, making it moist with his inherited healing powers. He then proceeded to run it across the comatose shell of Lion. "Please, please work, Please!" He prayed desperately as he licked, and spat on the feline, yet his attempts still proved futile. Acknowledging this, Steven could only break down into tears on Lion's furry mane. There he stayed from disk till dawn for three whole days, barely even going into town for food, something which had bothered the community, even Lars. After a while the gems and Steven's father, came to him. "I'm not leaving him" he said stubbornly.

"Lemme be the one to talk to him" offered Greg.

"Son, remember that time I broke my leg and had to stay in that cast for a month?"

Steven wiped his tears and nodded. "and do you remember how I dealt with that unfortunate event?"

"You yelled and complained about the pain until everyone had to care enough to help you?"

"Exactly. Look the point is, you cant handle this loss all by yourself, and thats why we came down here, to feel sad with you" Greg sniffed some terrible odour, "...and to persuade you to take a bath, you stink man. Steven perked up a bit, "thanks, dad". He embraced his father while he covered up his nose from the stench.

"Are we interrupting something?" asked Pearl. "No, get in here you guys" replied Steven.

The entire family gathered around Steven in an embrace, allowing the warmth of their love comfort Steven.

That evening, Steven finally left Lion's side, yet he still looked out into the ocean where he set his body afloat, remembering all the good times that he didn't eat him, and all the times his head was almost torn off by accident. Even with the support of everyone, Steven still couldn't believe that Lion was gone, and that he would never go on adventures with him.

Then all of a sudden, Steven heard someone run up the stairs. "Steven! Steven! open up it's me" the voice came from Greg. Steven opened the door. "Dad, what is it?"

"Some huge glowy gem thingy just appeared on the shore"

Steven and his father ran to the shore, right in the spot where Lion had formerly lain. Right there, stood an enormous gemstone, three times taller than Steven, it was the same color as Steven's gem and Lion's fur. "Whoa, what is that?" Steven approached the gem and touched it.

The gem gave off static like a video screen, and showed them something.

Steven recognized what he saw, it was Lion, but much much younger than when he met him. Standing beside him was a much larger and more dominant looking lion, accompanied by a lioness.

"Whoa, it's Lion's family" said an astonished Steven.

The small pride frolicked around their habitat. Lion gleefully pranced around and playfully tackled his father, as they wrestled with each other on the tall safari grass. Then they suddenly stopped, looking frightened, both animals ran off to the source of their distress. The mommy lioness, was sprawled on the grass, all mangled up and beaten, she did not fare well with whatever attacked her. Both lions turned back again, and there it was, the attacker, a ferocious bloodthirsty Rhino. It charged at them both. Lion's dad pushed him out of the way, but not before taking a direct blow to the vital areas.

Steven could see little Lion cowering in terror, he bolted for a run, but then he halted suddenly in his tracks. He saw the cold body of his parents still sprawled unconsciously on the ground. Lion ran back for them, but he before he could reach them both, the vicious Rhino, with its eyes full of malice and hatred tackled him to the ground. Lion was all bruised and beaten, but he still managed to stand. In front of the angry beast, he shook and shivered with fear, yet despite his distressful situation he attempted another run towards his parents. The rhino blocked its path, but Lion took one of his great leaps and jumped over it. Quickly, before the Rhino could notice, Lion carried his father on his back, and took his mother safely by the jaw. With both of them in tact, he ran off, away from the Rhino.

The following images that flashed showed Lion, crossing a great raging river with both parent's body's within his hold, shivering from the cold of the dessert night. He also fought his way through a scorching sandstorm, evaded spears and guns from hunters in a forest. Making his way up to the mountain. Due to his bloody beaten state, and the fact that he had two enormous weights on his shoulders, Lion collapsed at the peak, unable to continue forth. Then a warm glowing light appeared. Steven recognized it, the light came from a warp pad.

Two pink arms wrapped around Lion, and Steven and Greg heard a voice, the most beautiful voice that both of them had ever heard. "Oh my, look at you" the voice spoke.

"All the poor things you've been through, and still managing to stay strong for them?

The arms lifted Lion up, "rest now, brave one, I am here"

The screen flashed and beheld the face of Lion's rescuer, Rose Quartz. The gems glow faded.

Both Greg and Steven, were still speechless. They stared into each other, and hugged it out, as the gentle waves crashed, and distant roar, barely audible, echoed far of from the shore. 


End file.
